Assessment Appeals Forms, Applications & Documents

SAN BENITO COUNTY ASSESSMENT APPEALS

OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

REFERENCE GUIDE

The following is for informational and reference purposes only. Please refer to the appropriate state laws and regulations, the application form, and California State Statutes specifics. Links are provided below for your convenience. For other documents and forms related to assessment appeals, please contact the Clerk’s office at (831)-636-4000, Extension 13.

Filing Period: The time frame to submit an Application for Changed Assessment based on the January 1 lien date (regular assessment) is July 2 through November 30. Applications must be postmarked no later than November 30 or received by the Clerk of the Board at 481 Fourth Street, Administration Building, 1st Floor, Hollister, CA 95023 no later than 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on November 30.

Processing Fee: Effective July 1, 2011, there is a $45.00 non-refundable processing fee for each Application for Changed Assessment (one application is required for each parcel) filed with the Clerk of the Board.

For applications filed via U.S. Mail, payment can be made by check or money order payable to County of San Benito. Cash, check or money order will be accepted for hand-delivered applications received at the Clerk of the Board’s office during regular business hours at 481 Fourth Street, Administration Building, 1st Floor, Hollister, CA 95023.

Applicants who would qualify for a waiver of court fees and costs pursuant to California Government Code section 68632 because of their financial condition may request a fee waiver for the processing fee by submitting a SBC Waive Processing Fee Form (Fillable). The Fee Waiver Request Form must be filed concurrently with the Application for Changed Assessment. The form is available on the Clerk’s website. Hard copies of the form are available during regular business hours at the office of the San Benito County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 481 Fourth Street, Administration Building, 1st Floor, Hollister, CA 95023.

How to file an Assessment Appeal in San Benito County, CA

All assessment appeals must be filed with the Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of San Benito County, CA.

It is strongly encouraged that you contact the San Benito County Assessor’s Office to discuss your concerns with your assessment prior to filing any appeals with the Clerk of the Board’s Office.

*PLEASE NOTE: Who may file an Assessment Appeal?

In addition to property owners, all persons filing an appeal must be an authorized agent of the owner, a California-licensed attorney or a relative filing on behalf of the applicant. This requires an Agent Authorization form to be completed by the Property Owner authorizing his or her agent to file an Assessment Appeal.

The Agent Authorization must contain all of the following information:

• The date the authorization was executed;

• A statement that the agent is authorized to sign and file applications in the calendar year of the application;

• The specific parcel(s) or assessment(s) covered by the authorization, or a statement that the agent is authorized to represent the applicant on all parcels and assessments located within the county that the application is being filed;

• The name address, and phone number of the agent;

• The applicant’s signature and title; and

• A statement that the agent will provide the applicant with a copy of the application.

If an Assessment Appeal is filed after contacting the Assessor’s Office, there is a $45.00 fee per assessment appeal application that must be paid.

The $45.00 application fee is applicable to each application and a separate application is required for each parcel.

This means that if you have ten (10) parcels whose assessment you’d like to appeal, you must file ten (10) separate applications and pay ten (10) separate filing fees of $45.00 each.

IMPORTANT -PLEASE NOTE: Payment of a $500.00 deposit required per parcel is required by the Assessment Appeal Fee Schedule, Section 5.01.112 of San Benito County Ordinance 906.

This means that for each assessment appeal application, in addition to the filing fee for each application that applies to each parcel, a separate $500.00 deposit must also be paid per parcel per assessment appeal application. The deposits are non-refundable.

Persons filing Assessment Applications with the Office of the Clerk of the Board must attach three (3) photo copies of each appeal to each application. In addition, an electronic or digital version of each appeal must be e-mailed to the Office of the Clerk of the Board at the e-mail address listed above. It is preferred that the electronic or digital copy of the appeal be in PDF and may include TIFF files for maps and drawings, however, appellants are advised that only appeals received via U.S. Mail will be considered. Electronic versions of appeals are considered supplemental documents.

Assessment Appeals, Assessment Appeal Extensions and Assessment Appeal Withdrawals must be filed via Certified U.S. Mail. No electronic notices will be accepted.